Tuesday, April 09, 2013


First off today some of our forthcoming guests.


As you may remember our idea now we are in Hedsor’s Big Room, is to regularly have a guest musician perform with our (regular) Clive Burton Quintet. Since that decision was made we also have an additional need, that of replacing Clive whilst he recovers from his surgical procedure.

Then, on top of his other calamities, Ken Rankin, our (regular) bass player has managed to break his wrist, and we will obviously be having a number of guest appearances by other bass players until Ken can resume his place. Just so you can encourage friends (and yourself) to come and experience Hedsor jazz, here is a list of the named replacements/additions as I know them to day.

This Thursday April 11th we have guitarist Jez Cook coming to partner our saxophonist Mike Wills. This is handy in as much as they can share a car journey, they both come to us from Oxford! Jez is a very experienced and sought after player, catch him via YouTube to sample his style


Jez hasn’t been to Hedsor before, and it should be a very entertaining gig. It will only cost you £6 to get in. Music from 8.30 pm.

Thursday April 18th we have another player coming who hasn’t been before to darkest Hedsor. This time saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jnr will be coming to keep Mike company. Duncan, son of a famous farther who HAS played for us a couple of times, is fast becoming a much sort after player, and well worth YOUR while seeking out at Hedsor!!

Thursday April 25th should by now be in your diary, and tickets are now available either on a Thursday from Dee (on the Red Box) or from Cookham’s Stationery Depot (01628 531178). This is our fundraising night for Cancer Research UK and tickets will cost you £10. That will give you access to a light buffet at half time, time starting from 8pm. Our guest list has had to change slightly, and therefore maybe the evening will have a slightly less Benny Goodman bias than anticipated, but our guests will still entrance you. They are Alan Graham on vibraphone, and Stuart Henderson on trumpet. The regular Clive Burton Quintet will be behind them, maybe even with said Clive playing his trombone for us again that night for the first time in 6 weeks!

Further ahead, on May 9th, a young saxophonist is coming to us from Maidenhead. Justin Swadling is a very talented young saxophonist who will be joining our restored front line. Justin has his own group called “Modus”, which is a more funk style band, but he also plays for Ealing based big band “The Sound Of Seventeen”. Ken Rankine has been recommending him to us for months, and this will be his first proper appearance at Hedsor. (He did sit in a couple of times about 1 year ago).

June 6th may well be the anniversary of D Day, but it will also be the first appearance at Hedsor of former Humph band member saxophonist Karen Sharp. We are all looking forward to her appearance. Many of us have seen her in other places, so I’m sure you will all give her a very big Hedsor welcome.

July has me setting off for the Swanage Jazz Festival [July 12th, 13th, 14th ]
(where I will see many of you too I expect), but I will be hastening back for August, because August contains a 75th birthday, (mine) and a 54th wedding anniversary (ours!). So we are having a Hedsor based party on August 8th to celebrate both. 


Gil Cook  

To help me I have invited Vasilis Xenopoulos, Nigel Price, and Gill Cook to play and sing with Clive and the Quartet. I’m looking forward to seeing many friends and relatives (less as the years go by I’m afraid) from my 75 years.

After that the only thing as yet in my jazz diary for Hedsor is December 19th, our Christmas Party, and you will have to continue to “Watch this Space” to find out more about that later.

CD’s Listened to recently


First up, I mentioned the new Simon Spillett release a couple of weeks ago, but hadn’t at that time had a chance to play it. I enjoyed very much the gig at Marlow where most of the tunes were played by them, and I can honestly say that this third album in the Simon Spillett Quartet’s history is the best one yet. It is an excellent recording, and is musically less busy than the previous two releases. I loved “Yesterday I Heard the Rain” and the bass feature “Bass House” named after a well-remembered beer! At 38 minutes long it has the sort of 3 tunes a side feel of an LP, which is fairly logical, as you can also purchase this release on a 12” vinyl LP!!

I noticed that Jazz UK magazine also gave it a good review. I was glad to see it had, as in my view that magazine is less useful than it used to be. You can pick up a free copy of Jazz UK from Hedsor on Thursday this week and read the review then!


Lastly something slightly different. Bill Allred is an American trombone player who used to be much associated with Disney World. He also played for many many years for Rosie O’Grady’s Goodtime Jazz Band, which would rather lead you to believe he only played Dixieland. However, together with his son John, also a trombone player, they are very capable to playing swinging mainstream with some degree (a great degree) of excellence. Arbours Records “Bill Allred: The New York Session” is a fine recording of very fine music. Some wonderful players support them, including soon to be seen in Marlow, guitarist Howard Alden. On this release he also plays BANJO! Many of the tunes are of a Dixieland origin, but just have a listen to Bix’s “Davenport Blues”, with Warren Vache on Cornet! Then try “Muskrat Ramble”. Very fine trombone playing indeed. ARCD 1939 is the number.

No comments: